Thursday, May 21, 2009

Add Steven Spielberg's 'Munich' to the list of films you need to see

The 1972 Summer Olympics were one of the first sporting events I can recall watching as a child. I was only seven years old, but the event left a lasting impression on me. The impression was not only because of the athletic performances I saw, but also because of tragedy.

It was at these games that Arab terrorists stormed the Olympic compound and took the Israeli national team hostage. Two Israeli's were murdered in their rooms, and the remaining nine were executed at an airport as the terrorists attempted to leave. I have never forgotten the brilliance of ABC's Jim McKay as he reported on the crisis then had to tell the world that all the athletes were dead.

Steven Spielberg's Munich picks up the story after the slaughter. It tells the story of the elite squad the Israeli government put together to track down and execute the Palestinians responsible for this.

In less skilled hands, this film might have degenerated into just another revenge yarn. However, Spielberg does an excellent job of dealing with the subject matter in a three-dimensional way. He tells the story of the squad's quest to track down the murderers, but also includes the viewpoint of the Palestinians, as well as the toll this assignment had on the Israeli agents.

For a more in-depth review, click here.

This is a great film. It is rated 'R' primarily for violence.

3 comments:

Larry J. said...

That was a tragedy. On a much lesser scale, the Soviets stole the gold medal from the Americans in basketball. We got the shaft.

Mister Jimmy said...

Good film. I missed it in theaters but watched the dvd on a friend's recommendation.

Joltin' Django said...

I've read a half-dozen books about the Munich "episode." One Day in September & Striking Back stand out ...